


Not Goodbye

by KennaxVal



Category: Desire & Decorum (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:55:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23547985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KennaxVal/pseuds/KennaxVal
Relationships: Annabelle Parsons/Main Character (Desire & Decorum)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Not Goodbye

In a mere matter of minutes, Lady Clara would be free of Duke Richards forever.

Her confidence in Annabelle was absolute. The love of her life had projected nothing but the necessary poise and strength needed to vanquish this great evil that stood in the way of their romance. 

Still, nothing in life was certain, especially the results of a duel. Part of Clara wanted to stop everything on the basis that Annabelle’s life was not worth risking. But she knew her love would not hear it. Richards was a vile, grotesque man who would only rain down misery upon her wife to be and a duel to the death was Clara’s only means of escape.

The morning air was chilly but not overbearing, just enough that the morning dew remained on the grass. Annabelle wore the grin of a woman who had recently made love; indeed Clara could still feel her love’s skin and smell her sweet aroma. How she longed for that once again. It would make the agonizing waiting worth it.

Finally, the time had come. The competitors for Clara’s hand paced their steps and faced each other. This was it. Both Annabelle and Richards raised their pistols and a loud boom echoed through the land. 

Clara was overtaken by the smoke that had erupted and waved frantically in front of her face. She’d waited so long to see Richards finally get what was coming to him and couldn’t bear to hold on for one more second. She walked forward, ready to congratulate Annabelle only to find her beloved on the ground. 

How could this happen? Unlike that dunderhead, Richards, Annabelle had been so careful, so precise with her marksmanship. How could fate be so cruel when they were mere seconds away from being happy together?

A shiver went down Clara’s spine at the sound of Richards’ perverse laugh. Her blood boiled, filling her with an incredible energy that caused her to explode in the villain’s direction. It took all the men present to hold her back, and they struggled at that. Throw every man, woman, and child in her direction; Clara didn’t care. She grunted and pressed on with every fiber of her being. Ultimately, the group weren’t able to stop her so much as simply slow her down when a grotesque shriek halted everyone in their path.

It was Richards, with a dagger plunged into his groin and bleeding profusely. Right under him was Annabelle incredibly pale but sneering with pride at her work as he collapsed.

“ANNABELLE!!!” Clara’s strength seemed to quadruple and she broke free of her captors. She raced over to her love and tenderly took her hand.

“C- Clara?”

“Yes, Annabelle,” Clara struggled to reign in her tears, “I’m here. And we’re going to get you treated and…”

Annabelle laughed bitterly. “No, Clara, I fear this is my end. Even if it were not, they’d hang me for killing the monster who plagued your life. But he’s gone now and if there’s a hell, I can think of no one more deserving of eternal torment. Nor can I think of a final act as important as granting you freedom from that monster.”

“But what of you?”

“I am happy.” Annabelle ran her fingers through Clara’s hair and cupped her face. “Our love on this earth was a brief but spectacular light that dared to shine in the darkness of hate. Death has no power over our love, Clara, and I promise we will reunite in the next world.”

“I can’t live without you, Annabelle. Please, don’t leave me.”

Annabelle was getting colder. It was clear she had precious little time left. “Would that I could choose, I stay here with you, but fate had other ideas. You have a purpose here, Clara. Tell the world of our love. It will reach others like us. There are others like us, Clara, and they need to know that their love is beautiful and they have worth. Every one of them. It will not be easy, but fighting to see all love celebrated is as noble a cause as any humanity has sought to achieve. Clara, I love you with all my heart and if I knew what would transpire today, I would not change anything. We have seen and touched each other, body and soul, and in our abbreviated time together, we lived a lifetime. Remember, my love, this is not goodbye.”

“I love you too, Annabelle, and I promise no one will ever occupy the place in my heart that was carved out specifically for you. Until we meet again in the next world…” Clara kissed Annabelle softly on the lips, shared a smile with her beloved, and held her close until the life was gone from her. 

Even after that, Clara was reluctant to let go. But in that moment, she promised Annabelle’s soul that she would carry out the mission tasked to her. Her life would continue to have meaning in reaching out to those that society tried to shame for their love. The comfort she would bring others would help her live the rest of her days on earth. This, and the knowledge that death could only pose as an interruption to love. What she has with Annabelle is stronger than any force that might oppose them.


End file.
